Recipes

Lola's Yummy Spanish Lentils

Casserole  Egg-Free  High Fiber  Low Cholesterol  Low Fat  Low Saturated Fat  Vegetarian 

• Cooking Time: 45mins or so
• Servings: 8
• Preparation Time: 20mins
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 small onions, cut in quarters
• 1/4 cup tomato passata sauce
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped (not too small)
• Good lug of EV Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon saffron (preferably immitation saffron powder as it gives a better colour)
• sprinkle of paprika (the sweet is better than the smoked, but whatever you prefer)
• 2 beef stock cubes
• packet of Lentils - use about 1/2 to 3/4 of a packet
• Bunch of Silverbeat
• 2 spanish Chorizo sausages sliced in similar size to your veges. (optional) omit if you want a vegetarian version and slightly healthier, lower in fat option.

Put the lentils in a pot and cover in boiling water. Cover, wait for it to boil and then boil them for a couple of minutes.

Drain and discard the water. Rinse them under cold water. Put aside.

Cook the carrots, onions, potatoes in the olive oil until they develop a little bit of colour and start to cook slightly (maybe 5mins).

Add the chorizo and cook until fragrant and slightly coloured also.

Add the tomato passata, saffron, paprika and stock cubes.

Wash the silverbeat with water and white wine vinegar (this apparantly helps to remove sand).

Cook the silverbeat in boiling water for around 5 minutes, drain and discard water. Rinse and put in the pot with the vegetables.

When the potato is about half cooked, add the lentils to the pot and cover with water.

Cook until tender (season if you feel it necessary to - I only add maybe a touch of salt but that's all)

Enjoy with yummy crusty bread : )

DELCIOSO!!!

This recipe comes from my gorgeous Spanish mother in law Lola - when we lived with her (her son (my hubby) and I) it was a favourite of ours and now continues to be in our home as well with our 3 kiddies too - they love it and it's sooooo delicious as well as good for you : ) It's a meal in one pot and like a delicious lentil stew that warms the heart and soul - any time of year - but even better when the weather is cold outside : ) The smell of it cooking is enough to warm all your senses : )

We love it because when my father in law was alive we would all sit around and share this meal together and now, we tell our kids (aged 5, 2 and a newborn) that this was their Papa's favourite (as they never had the chance to meet him)- Our eldest says "make Papa's favourite for dinner mummy! It's sooooo yummy!" It's such a great way to get the kids eating their veges and some delicious lentils that are so good for you - high in fibre and iron too! If you omit the chorizo (it is delicious with it though as it gives a real spanish flavour) then it becomes even healthier too for vegetarians and those watching their weight. It really is a meal in one - you don't need anything else and it's great the next night (or 2!) and freezes well also.

Author: Lola (my mother in law!)